Organisers of a charity dog show are appealing for golden oldies, sausage-catching superstars and pooches with irresistible puppy eyes to enter their competition this weekend.
The show is being held on Saturday (July 19) as part of Radbourne Summer Fete, an annual event held in the grounds of Radbourne Hall, near Mickleover.
The dog show is designed to raise money for Sam’s Superheroes Foundation and was inspired by Labrador Daisy, who belonged to five-year-old Sam Liew of Mickleover.
Sam died from a one-in-a-million condition called Febrile Infection Related Epilepsy Syndrome (FIRES), believed to be an exceptionally rare reaction to a virus like a cold.
His mum Rachel is now dedicated to raising £50,000 for research into the condition which caused a series of catastrophic and ultimately fatal seizures in her little boy.
Daisy now works as a therapy dog and has bags of personality – which helped spark the idea for a community event that celebrates four-legged friends of all shapes, sizes and stories.
Among the categories available to enter are Best Fancy Dress, Gorgeous Girl, Best Rescue, Most Appealing Eyes and Waggiest Tail.
And the paw-some event is also looking for a Golden Oldie, the Best Sausage Catcher and Handsome Boy.
Rachel Liew said: “Daisy has been a lifeline to me since we lost Sam, but not only that, she has helped countless young people across the city too.
“This show isn’t about pedigree or polish – it’s about personality. Whether your dog is a pampered pooch or a scruffy sweetheart, we want to see them strut their stuff at our show.
“Dogs deserve to be celebrated and so we’re really looking forward to plenty of wagging tails, happy paws and a day full of fun. Plus, every entry helps us take a step nearer to raising £50,000 for urgent medical research.”
To date, Sam’s Superheroes Foundation has raised more than £35,000 from activities such as a sponsored scooter ride from Birmingham to Derby, a charity football match and countless tombolas and raffles.
The Dog Show will kick off with registration at 2pm, followed by the show itself at 2:30pm.
Entry is just £2 per class, with prizes donated by Trusty Pet Supplies of Mickleover.
For more information, visit: www.samssuperheroes.co.uk
For more information please contact Sarah Newton at Penguin PR on 07974 502 764 or email sarah@pemguinpr.co.uk
